Last Night At the Races

There are two appropriately named Champagne Cocktails for your post Ascot drinks – Goodnight and Pick Me Up.

Goodnight

1 sugar cube
1 drop Angoustura Bitters
1 splash Campari
Champagne

Splash a drop of angostura bitters onto a sugar cube. Place it at the bottom of a champagne flute. Top up with champagne and add a splash of campari.

Pick-Me-Up

This drink is believed to have been created in The Ritz Bar in Paris roundabout 1936
1 measure cognac
3 measures freshly squeezed orange juice
2 dashes grenadine
Champagne

Fill a cocktail shaker with ice. Add the first three ingredients and shake well. Strain into a chilled champagne flute. Top up with champagne. Serve garnished with a twist of orange peel.
Enjoy – but remember that these cocktails whilst being delicious do pack a good punch of alcohol so be careful. Being ‘tipsey’ at Ascot I am sure will also be frowned upon alongside bare midriffs and short dresses.

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Refreshing Champagne Cocktails for a Scorching Ascot 2008

With the temperature soaring to 22ºC in Ascot today I am hoping – along with thousands of others – that the weather will be kind. If it's hot then there are two Champagne Cocktails that will cool you down: the Venus Flower and the Raspberry Champagne Cocktail.

Venus Flower

Elderflower Cordial
Midori
Apple Schnapps
Lime Juice
topped with ice cold Champagne.

Raspberry Champagne Cocktail

3 fresh raspberries
1 tsp raspberry liqueur
dash of vodka
2 ice cubes
champagne, to fill

Place 2 raspberries in a cocktail shaker. Add in the raspberry liquor, vodka and ice. Cover and shake together until well blended. Carefully strain into a champagne flute, top with champagne, then the remaining raspberry and serve at once.

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Ascot Fashion Colours for 2008

If the classic black and white colour theme doesn't grip you then there are alternatives. Luckily the big "My Fair Lady" hat is back in fashion this year with fashion designers Marc Jacobs and Oscar de la Renta making them the focal points for their Spring collections. With the Olympics being held in Beijing this year there is an oriental theme reflected in the clothes with Prada using Eastern designs in many of their styles. Skirts are swishy, blouses are ruffled and evening dresses are reminiscent of Ancient Greece with drapes and ruches. Colours are Gold, Purple and Blue – rather a regal theme really.

If you want a colourful Champagne Cocktail to go with your outfit then Kir Royale and Lady Macbeth will suit Purples, Ritz Fizz will pair with Blues and California Dreaming with go with Golds.

Kir Royale

Kir Royale is a cocktail made with a measure of crème de cassis (blackcurrant liqueur) topped up with champagne. Originally the wine used was Bourgogne Aliqoté, a lesser white wine of Burgundy. It is named after Félix Kir (1876 – 1968), Mayor of Dijon in Burgundy, who as a pioneer of the twinning movement in the aftermath of the Second World War popularized the drink by offering it at receptions to visiting delegations. Besides treating his international guests well, he was also promoting two vital economic products of the region.

7 parts Champagne
1 part crème de cassis

If you cannot be bothered with mixing this cocktail simply have Nick's Rosé Champagne. No mess, equally as refreshing and fashionably ‘in’!

Lady Macbeth

1 measure port
Champagne

Pour champagne into a flute glass. Slowly add the port. Don't stir! Serve garnished with a twist of orange peel.

Ritz Fizz

½ measure almond liqueur
½ measure Blue Curaçao
Champagne

Pour the almond liqueur and Curaçao into a chilled champagne flute. Add the lime juice and stir. Top up with chilled champagne, stirring gently.

California Dreaming

3 measures pineapple juice
3 dashes cherry liqueur such as Kirsch
1 dash lemon juice
Champagne

Fill a cocktail shaker with ice and add the first three ingredients. Shake well, then strain into a chilled champagne flute. Top up with champagne. Garnish glass with a chunk of pineapple.

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The Ascot

The Ascot is fast becoming a fashion trend this Spring. Designer Tommy Hilfiger says that retro ties are cool - American Idol contender Michael Johns sports one, so does David Beckham.

The Ascot is descended from the earlier type of cravat widespread in the early nineteenth century, most notably during the age of Beau Brummell, made of heavily starched linen and elaborately tied around the neck. Later in the 1880s, amongst the upper-middle-class in Europe men began to wear a more loosely tied version for formal daytime events with daytime full dress in frock coats or with morning coats.

Although such dress cravats were no longer worn with morning dress at the Royal Ascot races in the Edwardian era the Ascot was still commonly worn for business with morning dress in the late 19th and very early 20th centuries. The day cravat was worn in the early decades of the twentieth century as casual wear, often as sports wear such as when playing golf. The Duke of Windsor often wore one in this manner. It was regarded as an elegant form of casual dress. Ascots did make a come back in fashion in the mid-to-late 1960s – and it seems that the winds of change are swinging back in their favour again this year.

Champagne Cocktails that won't clash with your cravat are the Bellini, the Valencia and the Champagne Julep.

Bellini

The classic Bellini was invented at Harrys Bar in Italy in 1931 in honour of the painter Geovani Bellini. Giuseppi Cipriani was the inventor. The original recipe was made with fresh puréed white peaches with a bit of raspberry or cherry juice to give the drink a pink glow.

It will take you back to a time when Ernest Hemingway, Orsen Wells and Sinclair Lewis enjoyed this drink canal side in Venice while the USA was locked in Prohibition.

1 parts Peach Scnapps
3 parts Champagne

Valencia

½ measure apricot brandy
1 measure freshly squeezed orange juice
2 dashes orange bitters
Champagne

Fill a cocktail shaker with ice. Add the first three ingredients and shake well. Strain into a chilled champagne flute. Top up with champagne. Serve garnished with a strip of orange peel.

Champagne Julep

Mint Julep is a popular summer drink based on whiskey (traditionally Bourbon) and mint. For a Champagne Julep a splash of whiskey is optional. Take a chilled highball glass. Place in it two sprigs of mint and a sugar cube. Add a few ice cubes and fill, pouring slowly, with chilled sparkling champagne. Garnish with a fresh strawberry.

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Philip Treacy Launches Royal Ascot

The master milliner Philip Treacy is launching Royal Ascot this year with a striking image featuring one of his iconic hats. The image is of Martha Sitwell, wearing Alexander McQueen, against a background scene of Ascot Opening Day, which was painted by James Pollard and dates back to 1836.

As well its world-class racing, for the second year running Royal Ascot will also be hosting the Royal Ascot Fashion Show in the Bessborough Restaurant, bringing together top designers from around the world - Vivienne Westwood has already confirmed - to showcase the very latest male and female couture on the catwalk.

Keeping within Philip Treacy's black and white theme I think that a Black Velvet Champagne Cocktail is probably the best choice although a Classic Champagne Cocktail would fit the bill as far as taste is concerned.

Black Velvet

Black Velvet was invented at the Brooks Club in London in 1861 and was served as the nation mourned the death of Prince Albert, Queen Victoria’s Prince Consort. It’s rather suitable for racing fans given that Guiness is used in it – the Irish love it!

A Black Velvet is made by filling a tall champagne flute halfway with chilled stout (usually Guiness) and floating the Champagne on top of the stout. The differing densities of the liquids cause them to remain largely in separate layers.

Classic Champagne Cocktail

Champagne
Drop of Angostura Bitters
1 Sugar Cube

Place a drop of angostura bitters on a sugar cube and drop into a champagne flute. Add champagne.


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Ascot Dress Code and Champagne Cocktails

Champagne is a must for Royal Ascot so I thought it would be fun to include some Champagne Cocktails that are stylish and tasteful – as well as some useful tips. By the mid 1800s the Champagne Cocktail was all the rage at dinner parties and soirees in genteel society – and who needs bling when you have got style?

Ascot is being held on Tuesday 17th June to Saturday 21st June 2008 and I shall be glued to the coverage of Ladies Day on Thursday goggled eyed by the good, the bad and the ugly – I am talking about the hats! Some go in for the chique and the sublime but some go in for the ludicrously daft monstrosities just to get noticed – but then when all you can see around you is a sea of hats you have to do something to stand out.

The governing body at Ascot issued guidelines for dress this January as it seems standards have been slipping. The ultimate Ascot faux pas, the miniskirt, is now officially non grata and "considered unsuitable". Shoulder straps should be no thinner than an inch, no bare midriffs or mismatching trouser-suits are acceptable and a decree from on-high that all women should cover their heads by wearing a "substantial fascinator [an ornate lace or feathered head covering]". Or a hat.

If you are going, here are some tips to help you pick a winner:

The sun will hopefully be out, so make sure you pick a hat that looks good with sunglasses! Or if not remember you may have to negotiate an umbrella if your hat is vulnerable and turns into a soppy mess if not protected.

If you're short, don't wear a hat that's too wide. If you're tall you can get away with more.

Unless you have the character to get away with it, the brim of the hat shouldn't be wider than your shoulders. Don't let your hat drown you. If you feel comfy with your chosen hat, you will automatically look confident and good!

Before the day, experiment with hairpins, combs and elastic so that your hat will stay on your head.

Hairspray helps to stop your hat slipping in the wind.

Other top tips are that the dress code for women is to keep their shoulders covered, skirts below the knee, that bear legs are a definite “no no” (the late Princess Diana got away with it but we won’t), that showing your midriff is definitely not on and to wear sensible shoes that match the outfit - walking on grass in stilettos is no easy task.

Chewing gum and using your mobile phone are frowned upon and tradition holds that as soon as the reigning monarch finishes eating lunch in the Royal Box, everyone else must stop.

As for a Champagne Cocktail to accompany your “look” then a French 75 will fit the bill. Given that the Cocktail may take its name from a breed of horse, known as “cock-tail” it’s rather fitting that we should have them at Ascot. The Cocktail – like the horse – was a mixed breed. The other possible origin of word came is that it came from the French word coquetier meaning egg-cup which were used to serve the drinks in New Orleans in the early 19th century.

French 75

1½ measures dry gin
Juice of ½ lemon
½ teaspoon icing sugar
Champagne

Fill a cocktail shaker with ice. Add the first three ingredients and shake well. Strain into a chilled champagne flute. Top up with champagne. Serve garnished with a strip of lemon peel.

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Bordeaux Wine and Barbeques - Gadgets

They say only Mad Dogs and Englishmen Go Out in the Mid-day Sun. If it is hot - how do you keep your wine cool? No wine tastes great if you leave it out in the sun so keep all your bottles, even reds, in the shade. The main problem with barbecues is keeping white wine - and other drinks - cool. You can have the best white wine in the world but it'll taste as dull as ditchwater if you serve it lukewarm. A couple of large buckets filled with iced water should do the trick.

You may like the romantic idea of keeping your drinks cool by dangling the bottles in a nearby stream, but for a modern alternative try an insulated jacket like the Vacu Vin Rapid Ice (available from www.wineenthusiast.com).

You keep the jacket in the freezer and simply pop it over the bottle once you take it out of the fridge. You can find them in larger supermarkets and most high-street wine shops. Or chill the bottles well and put them in their own insulated bag.

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Bordeaux Wines and Barbeques, Ravishing Reds

If you are looking for a red wine to go with your Barbeque don't make the mistake of choosing wines that are too heavily oaked, or the combination of oak, smoke and spice will overwhelm your battered tastebuds. What you want is a ravishing red burst of ripe juicy fruit.

Look out for wines made from Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon grapes. Cabernet Franc makes a bright, shiny wine with aromas of strawberry and blackberry. Cabernet Sauvignon is strong in tannins and perfumed with blackcurrants, violets and green peppers. Merlot gives a richly coloured, soft wine with the aroma of blackcurrants and blackberries. Combine all 3 and you have the perfect red.

Les Graves de Barrau is crimson and has lovely aromas of cherry with a hint of vanilla. It offers big ripe fruits and has a silky finish. Chateau Toumalin would be ideal as its bouquet has a hint of roasted wood which would accompany your barbeque! It’s a ruby colour and has a hint of blueberry flavours. For those of you who are vegetarians this wine enhances aubergines, peppers and cheeses. Marquis de Perissac, with its bright colour and hints of blackberries also goes well with Nuts, Lentils and Beans.

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Bordeaux Wines and Barbeques, Wild Whites

Spring has descended with a burst of blossom this year and everything is flowering at once. The weather is perfect for barbequing and Bordeaux is perfect for barbeques!

Subtlety goes out the window when it comes to barbecue wines. Instead you want bright, bold flavours that can cope with charred meats, punchy marinades, salsas and salad dressings. As a good rule of thumb when it comes to great barbecue wines, look to the great barbequers of the world – the alfresco European style of food comes second nature to the French and we can learn a lot from their example.

Wild Whites

White wines to go wild about are those that reflect the feast of fragrances around you. Sauvignon Blanc with its zingy fresh lemon flavours works well with barbecued seafood, especially with oily fish such as sardines and mackerel. Chateau Saint Thibeaud is a good choice and goes well with barbequed tuna. However if you want a more tropical fruit flavour then wines made from the Semillon grape add a whoosh of lychee, pineapple and peach.

Nick has found some excellent wines from the Entre Deux Mers region – not far away from Cadillac – south east of Bordeaux. These wines are made from Sauvignon Blanc and Semillon and melt in the mouth with soft juicy fruits edged with the aromas of grapefruit, lemon and lime.

Chateau Sainte Marie has wonderful fragrance in which the citrus notes really stand out and Domaine de Ricaud smells of summer blossoms. Chateau Tours Capoux has the extra element of the Muscadelle grape which has the perfume of acacia. The wine is bright, light and subtle – perfect for a sunny afternoon.

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Bordeaux Aperitifs – Sauternes

The famous sweet wines of Château d'Yquem hail from Sauternes and although not every one can stretch to their prices there are other delicious wines from this area which make wonderful apéritifs – after all it does have 4,500 acres of vines to choose from!

Sauternes lies in the hollow where the river Garonne and its tributary the Ciron converge and its vineyards span 4,500 acres. The source of the Ciron is a spring which has cooler waters than the Garonne. In the autumn, when the climate is warm and dry, the different temperatures from the two river meet to produce mist that descends upon the vineyards from dusk till dawn. The mist helps the development of the botrytis cinerea fungus (known as noble rot). Noble Rot makes the the grape concentrate the flavours and sugars whilst keeping a high level of acidity. By mid day, the warm sun will help dissipate the mist and dry the grapes to keep them from developing less favourable rot.

The grapes grown in Sauternes are those which make White Bordeaux – Sémillon, Sauvignon Blanc and Muscadelle. Unlike White Bordeaux Sémillon,makes up most of the blend as it is easily infected with Noble Rot. Sauvignon Blanc provides acidity to counter balance the sweetness and Muscadelle contributes fragrance. Although these are dessert wines their sweetness is not cloying due to their zesty acidity. Flavours can include apricots, peaches, dried pineapple, nuts and honey and the finish lasts on the palate for a long time. Their colour is gold which darkens with time to a deep copper. The wine should be served chilled at around 11ºC. Wines from Barsac are lighter and have a fresher style.

Hopefully this has given you some inspiring ideas for taking some time out, watching the world go by and enjoying a drink before dinner!

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